Appeals Court Upholds Florida Law Restricting Chinese Communist Land PurchasesBy: Shawn Fleetwood
November 06, 2025
A federal appeals court upheld a Florida law on Tuesday that restricts Chinese nationals and entities affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from making land purchases in the state.
In a 2-1 ruling, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the group of Chinese nationals challenging parts of the law (SB 264) lacked standing to bring their suit. The decision comes after the district court denied plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction blocking the statute’s enforcement.
“After careful review, and with the benefit of oral argument, we affirm the denial of the plaintiffs’ preliminary injunction motion as to the registration and affidavit requirements. But we reverse and remand for the district court to deny the preliminary injunction motion without prejudice as to the purchase restriction because none of the plaintiffs have shown they have standing to challenge that provision of SB 264,” the ruling reads. The majority opinion noted how several of the plaintiffs, although they are Chinese citizens, were not “domiciled” in China, and therefore their efforts to purchase property falls outside the scope of the law.
The majority was comprised of Trump appointed-Judges Robert Luck and Barbara Lagoa. Judge Charles Wilson, a Clinton appointee, dissented from the panel’s decision.
As described by Florida’s Voice News, SB 264 “prohibits most Chinese citizens from purchasing Florida real estate and requires reporting of existing holdings near critical infrastructure.” The bill, the outlet reported, “was passed with broad bipartisan support following concerns that individuals and businesses linked to the Chinese Communist Party could acquire agricultural land or property near sensitive installations.”
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Source:
https://thefederalist.com/2025/11/06/appeals-court-upholds-florida-law-restricting-chinese-communist-land-purchases/
